MOOSEJAWTODAY.COM — Don’t look now, but Moose Jaw’s Dayne Heisler has suddenly become a favorite to win the Curl Sask U18 boys provincial championship in a few months.

Heisler and his team of third Blake Montgomery, second Riley Cushway and lead Laine Burnham returned to the “C” side to win the U18 Sask Cup #2 in Prince Albert, claiming their place among the best rinks in the group of age in the province.

The Moose Jaw Curling Center quartet opened with a 9-4 victory over Saskatoon’s Jacob Parker in their first match on the “A” team, but lost their next two matches to fall to the “C” side.

Heisler first met reigning provincial champion Tyler Derksen of Martensville in their “A” semifinal and lost a 9-7 decision before falling 8-3 to Joel Kitsch of Saskatoon in their first match of the side “B”.

Turns out that would be their last loss this weekend.

Heisler faced Parker in their “C” qualifier and made three straight finals at third and fourth before earning an 8-4 victory and booking his spot in the playoffs.

There, they faced Saskatoon’s Brandon Weiss in the semifinals and found themselves in a battle from start to finish.

After trading points in the first two ends, Heisler took the lead with a steal of two in the third, but quickly gave up two in the next end and a steal in the fifth to lead 4-3. Heisler would tie the match in the sixth, however, and get a steal of two in the seventh to regain the lead before knocking Weiss off the stones in the eighth, earning a 6-4 victory.

This sent Heisler to the championship final where they once again ran into Kitsch – and this time, got a much different result.

Two points in the third and fifth ends gave Kitsch a 4-2 lead, but Heilser tied the match in the sixth end, stole two more in the seventh and added a steal in the eighth to earn a 7-4 victory .